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NDOLA (30 March 2014) – South Africa’s Stacy Bregman was simply sublime from tee to green as she steered her way to a runaway victory in the inaugural Zambia Ladies Open Championship at Ndola Golf Club on Sunday.
The Ladies European Tour campaigner delighted the local fans with a master class in accuracy and course management, putting together a two-under-par 71 to break a six year winning drought with winning score of eight-under-par 211.
Kim Williams closed with a 74 to finish eight stroke back in second alongside Monique Smit, who closed with a third successive 73.
Bregman was all business as the stalked the 5,955 meter layout for 54 holes. However, once the final putt dropped to seal her victory, Bregman beamed a broad smile at the cheering crowds that revealed exactly what the victory meant to the 27-year-old from Johannesburg.
“This is so much more than just another victory for me,” an emotional Bregman said.
“This week has been a real breakthrough. I have struggled with patience for so long, and I finally conquered that demon. It feels like I have knocked two monkeys of my back.
“I’m am so thrilled with this win and to the first Zambia Ladies Open Championship trophy.”
Bregman began with a two shot lead over Nobuhle Dlamini after earlier rounds of 71 and 69.
The Swazi golfer mounted a spirited challenge on the front nine, and lagged just a shot behind when Bregman took the turn at five under.
The champion’s newfound patience won the day, though.
“In the first round, I dropped four shots on the front nine but rallied with six birdies over the back nine, and in the second round, I also made my birdies on the back nine,” she said.
“I knew I had to bide my time. I managed myself well on the front nine to drop just the one shot at the fifth. The last nine holes has definitely been kinder to me and I knew I could score on the home stretch. I just had to bide my time.”
Dlamini dropped at the 10th and 13th, while Bregman reeled in birdies and reached eight under when she knocked a 10-footer in for birdie at the par-four 15th.
Dlamini dropped again at 15, but although she was out of the running, Bregman still felt pressure coming down the stretch.
“As the highest ranked player in the field, I was under pressure to win and I guess I carried that around all week,” she admitted.
“I didn’t want to start making mistakes with three holes to go, so I just willed myself to settle and stay patient. It was a real life lesson out there.”
Bregman parred the last three holes and Williams moved to joint second when she parred against a bogey from Dlamini at the final hole. The Swazi golfer finished fourth on one over 220 with a 78.
The champion was thrilled that she eventually made the trip to Zambia.
“I played so much golf in the first three months of this season, that I really just wanted a break,” Bregman said.
“But I decided to come and support the Sunshine Ladies Tour and Murphy’s Law, I win.
“I have a lot of people to thank for this, because my team has been amazing with their support. I dedicate this to my family, my coach Neville Sundelson, my trainer Ian Corbett at the World of Golf, the Gary Player guys at the World of Golf, my mentor Helen Alfredsson and sport psychologist Maretha Claasen, whom I started working with a while ago.
“I would like thank the Zambia Ladies Golf Union for hosting their first professional women’s golf tournament and I am very proud to be their first champion. I hope the young golfers will learn from me and that they will keep on practicing and never, ever give up.”
Ends
211 – Stacy Bregman 71 69 71
219 – Kim Williams 70 75 74; Monique Smit 73 73 73
220 – Nobuhle Dlamini SWZ 74 68 78
221 – Tandi von Ruben 72 75 74
222 – Nicole Garcia 75 76 71
224 – Magda Kruger (AMA) 78 73 73
227 – Maggie Yuan AUS 79 74 74
230 – Michaela Fletcher (AMA) 76 73 81
232 – Uloma Mbuko NGR 74 82 76; Bonita Bredenhann (NAM) 79 77 76; Nicola Eaton 80 74 78
233 – Mandy Adamson 77 79 77; Morgana Robbertze 77 78 78; Nora Kagonyera SWE 78 75 80
234 – Henriette Frylinck 76 79 79; Michelle Leigh 74 78 82
235 – Mae Cornforth (AMA) 78 81 76
236 – Francesca Cuturi 84 78 74; Michelle de Vries 78 80 78
237 – Tijana Kraljevic 78 82 77; Lauren Blease ENG 77 82 78; Yolanda Duma (AMA) 78 77 82
239 – Iliska Verwey 78 80 81
241 – Siviwe Duma (AMA) 77 84 80; Alana van Greuning 79 79 83; Bhavi Shah KEN 80 78 83; Rachel Drummond ENG 77 79 85
246 – Carmia van Wyk (AMA) 80 81 85
247 – Melissa Nawa (AMA) ZAM 79 84 84; Julie Bruyns 88 79 80
248 – Nicole Becker 84 79 85
249 – Celistine Nawa (AMA) ZAM 84 85 80
251 – Alra van den Berg 87 83 81
253 – Zetu Myeki (AMA) 86 82 85
256 – Loice Chigono (AMA) ZIM 87 81 88
257 – Xanthe Gibson 89 82 86; Kim Brookes 85 91 81
259 – Lizzy Currie (AMA) 87 88 84
260 – Millie Zim (AMA) 88 83 89; Kaela Mulenga (AMA) ZAM 83 89 88
261 – Sanet Marais 80 90 91
262 – Yolanda Mubaiwa (AMA) ZIM 90 84 88
271 – Tara Allin (AMA) ZAM 94 92 85
277 – Miliase Siame (AMA) ZAM 95 91 91
281 – Shamiso Makwara (AMA) ZIM 92 97 92
284 – Lorna Mwenda (AMA) ZAM 92 96 96
